Stringer for fasteners



Jan. 24, 1933. G p TgcE 1,895,172

STRINGER FOR FASTENERS Filed March 22, 1932 five 2-07;

Atajym Patented Jan. 24, 1933' GEORGE PRENTICE, OF BERLIN, CONNECTICUT STRINGER FOR FASTENERS Application filed Maroh 22, 1932. Serial No. 600,400.

This invention pertains to slider operated fasteners f the kind in which opposed series of fastener elements are mountedrcspective- 1y upon the edges of flexible stringers and 5 having a slider movable longitudinally of the series for moving the fastener elements into and out of engaging relationship, and relates more particularly to a fastener comprising a novel form of stringer. I

For some purposes, sis/for example when fasteners of this type are employed upon overshoes where the fastener elements are commonly exposed to moisture, dirt, etc., or, on the other hand, ,when such fasteners are employed on undergarments or the like where contact of the fastener elements with other garments or with the skin is undesirable, it has been proposed to provide means for covering, concealing, orprot ecting the fastener go elements after the shder has completed its ga closing movement.

arious attempts have been made to provide-such covering or concealing means, but in most prior instances known to me it has .-been sought to accomplish this object by attaching the stringer to the garment or other article at the inner side of the material of the garment bordering the gap in such a Way so as to leave portions of the garment mateao rial itself to overlap and conceal the fastener elements. lVhile the elements may thus be covered, it is not always easy toattach the stringers at the proper distance from the edge of the garment at its inner side, suchmethod of attaching the stringers often requiring great care and skill on the part of the operator and in some cases being, substantially impossible of accomplishment by reason of limitations of space or other characteristics of the article to which the fastener must be secured.

Furthermore, the material of the garment itself is not always of a nature suitable to perform this function. For example, it may not be sufliciently resilient, stiff, or otherwise characterized to retain its operative position when the gap is closed. Moreover, when used for this be specially finished to provide a hem or slider when the purpose the material must usually selvage to prevent excessive wear or fraying of the material.

In at least one prior attempt to obtain the desired result, the stringer has been provided with a flexible flap extending laterally substantially to the free ends of the fastener elements and the slider channels have been made of sufiicient depth in a front to rear di rection to accommodate the edge of this flap as well as the series of fastener elements. While this arrangement is advantageous from the standpoint of ease of application to a garment, it is found in practice that the movement of the slider produces rapid wear and fraying of the material of the flap, so that it soon becomes unsightly and tends to jam the slider. Moreover, in this arrange ment no provision is made for concealing the gapis closed. 7

In accordance with the present invention I provide in a simple way for obtaining all of the advanta es of the previously mentioned proposef constructions without the disadvantages of either, and to this end 1 provide a stringer (adapted to carry the series of fastener elements and to be attached to the garment in the usual fashion comprising a part, preferably inte ral with the stringer body,'constituting a cfosure flap or shutter adapted to swing freely away from the fastener elements during movement ofl the slider, but which tends 'to swin backinto its normal, operative position w ere it not only conceals the fastener units but also the slider body when the gap is closed.

In a preferred construction this covering or protective flap or shutter is woven integrally with the body of the stringer and may, if desired, be provided with a stiffening bead or equivalent element at its free edge, the width of this flap preferably being such that when the gap is closed the beaded edge of the flap of one stringer will abut the beaded edge of the opposite flap, making a close and attractive joint and substantially covering the body of the slider, although for convenience, the pull tab of the latter may project out be tween the edges of the flaps.

'VVhile as suggested the flap preferably is integral with the body of the stringer and of 100 braiding methods,

' ment to which the fastener is attached;

the same material, it may, if desired, be made from a separate piece and attached, as by to the body of the stringer, and even flap, by proper weaving or may be given an appearanee different from that 0 the body of the stringer so as to make it highly ornamental, if desired. In this connection it may noted that in place of a bead wholly of textile material, the beadat the edgeof the flap may have a metallic wire core to impart additional stiffness and resiliency, or the edge of the flap may be stiffened otherwise than by a bead, .for example, by the use of a special weave at this poin forming a heavy selvage, or by the introdu tion of stiffening strands throughout as much of the flap as may be desired. v

In the accompanying drawing in; which I have illustrated certain desirable embodimentsv of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation, to large scale, showing a portion of a garment having my improved fastener connected thereto, the fastenerbeing shown with its actuating slider moved to a substantial distance from the lower or permanently closed end of the fastener;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear view of the parts shown in Fig. 1 but omitting the garsewing, if integral, such Fig. 3 is a section substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 but omitting the garment sections'; b

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic large scale transverse section on a plane similar to that of Fig. 3 illustrating the fabric'structure of one acceptable form of stringer, and

Fig. 5 is a transverse section of a stringer of modified construction.

Referring to the drawing, the numerals 1 and 2 designate portions of the material of a garment or other article, such portions bordering the gap which is to be closed by the fastener device. The improved fastener comprises flexible stringers 3 and 4 which may be made of any suitable material'but preferably by weaving or textile yarns. The stringers 3 and 4 are secured to the portions 1 and 2 of the garment at opposite sides of the gap, being attached in any usual fashion as, for example, by sewing stitches shown at 3 and 4 and, as is usual in fasteners of this type, the stringers are permanently united at the lower end of the fastener by means of a clip 5 or other equivalent end stop device. The opposed stringers carry series 6 and 7 respectively of fastener elements of any usual type, and these fastener elements are moved into and out of engagement by means of a slider S which may be of usual and convenient shape and construction, such slider having channels for the reception of the opposed series of elements and having a pull attaching member parts 8 and 9, such braiding methods from N, here shown as a longitudinally extending loop to which the pull tab P is secured.

As here illustrated, the body port-ion of the left hand stringer consists of a single-ply outer marginal part 8 and an inwardly directed flap 9. The stringer also comprises the closure flap 10, the two flaps 9 and 10 preferably being provided at their'free or' inner edges with beads 1.1 and 12 respective ly. The right hand stringer which is preferably like the left hand stringer is provided with similar superposed flaps 9 and 1O furnished at their free edges'with the beads 11 and 12. The lies 9 and 10 are united along the longitudinal line 13 intermediate the inner and outer edges of the stringer and preferably the closure flap ured from the line 13 to its beaded edge, than 10 is-wider, measis the ply 9. This difference in width is such that when the fastener elements 6, for eX- ample, are attached to the bead 11 of the flap 19 and engage with fastener units 7 attached to the bead 11 of the opposite stringer, the beaded edges 12 and 12 of the respective closure flaps will abut substantially along the longitudinal line of engagement of the.

fastener units of the opposed series as shown at the central part of Fig. 1, so that the flaps collectively cover the body portion' of the slider, the edges of the flaps being wholly outside of the slider body.

Preferably, as illustrated in Fig. 4:, the closure flap 10 is body portion of the stringer comprising the integral union being readily accomplished by known methods of weaving or braiding. If desired, the core members of one or both of the beads 11 or 12 may consist wholly or in part'of metallic wire to provide added stiffness and strength and, furthermore, if desired certain of the longitudinal strands in the flap 10 may be of especially stiff or resilient character, for example fine wire, in order to make the covering flap more resilient. ---I n any case the connection of the two superposed plies 9 and 10 should be such as to cause them to tend to lie in parallel relation, this usually being sufficiently accomplished when these plies are closely woven or braided integrally with the single ply marginal portion 8, or when they are stitched together in substantially parallel relation.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a slightly modi fied construction in which the body portion of the stringer consists of the marginal part 18 and the inner.- portion 19, the. latter having the bead21 to which the fastening units are attached. To this main portion the closure flap 20, having the beaded edge 22, is attached by means of stitches fastening means.

In either form fif the device the natural resiliency of the closure flaps causes them norformed integrally with the 23 or other appropriate fastening units of the respective series and also to cover the body portion of the slider,

this tendency being accentuated by the stiffness of the beaded edge of the flap when a bead is provided. It may be noted that the distance between the line of union 13 of the plies 9 and 10 and the corresponding series of fastener units is such as to permit free movement of the slider S, and as the slider is moved longitudinally of the series of fasteners its pull-attaching member N acts like a plough.

to spread the beaded edges 12 and 12 just sufliciently to enable the slider to pass, such edges immediately tending to snap back into closed position. However, when desired, the flaps may be freely opened to expose the fastener elements as well as the slider.

While I have illustrated certain desirable embodiments of the invention, I wish it to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto but that changes in material, size, and relative arrangement of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalents may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A slide operated fastener of the class described comprising a pair of flexible stringers each having a body portion of textile material adapted to be secured to material bordering the edge of a gap, a series of fastener elements secured to the body ortion of each stringer, and a slider for moving the opposite series of fastener elements into and out of en agement, each stringer having an integral c osure flap united to the body portion of the stringer alon a longitudinal line intermediate the edges 0% the latter, said closure flaps being of such width that when disposed in substantially parallel relation to the body portion of the stringers they cover and conceal the corresponding series of fastener elements, each closure flap having a bead at its free edge.

2. A slide operated fastener of the ole described comprising a pair of flexible stringers each having a body portion of textile material adapted to be secured to material borof the stringer and each having a stiffening bead at its free ed e, the width of the res ective closure flaps eing such that when t eir beaded edges are brought into contact they collectively conceal and cover the slider body and the two series of fastener elements, the

beaded edges of said flaps being freely separableJ expose the slider and fastener elements. 1 i

scribed comprising a pair of flexible stringers each having a body portion adapted to be secured to material bordering the edge of a gap,

a series of fastener elements secured to the body portion of each stringer, a slider for moving the opposite series of fastener elements into and out of engagement, each stringerconsisting of textile materialhaving a single ply at its outer margin, and two superposed plies at its inner portion, said superposed plies being integra ly united to the single ply portion, one of said superposed plies having a beaded edge to which fastener units are secured, and the other of said superposed plies constituting a closure flap and having a stiffening head at its free edge, said closure ply being of a width exceeding that of the other of said superposed plies.

4. A stringer for use in slide operated fasteners of the class described, said stringer consisting of a piece of textile-fabric comprising a one ply outer marginal portion and an inner portion consisting of two superposed plies, each integrally united at one edge to said single ply marginal portion, the other edges 0 said superposed plies being free, the free edge of one of said superposed plies having a bead suitable for the anchorage of a series of fastener elements, and the free having a stiffening head, the latter ply being wider than the other of said superposed plies.

5. A slide operated fastener comprising a pair of flexib e stringers having thickened edge portions, each having a body portion of textile material adapted to be secured to material bordering-the edge of a gap, 9. series of fastener elements secured to the thickened edge portion of each stringer, and a slider for moving the opposed series of fastener elements into and out of engagement with each other, each stringer having a closure flap united to the body portion of the strin er along a longitudinal line intermediate t c. said closure flaps being of edges of the latter, such width that when disposed in substantially parallel relation 'to the body portion of the strin ers, their free edges abut so that the closure aps completely conceal and cover the corresponding series of fastener elements, each closure fialp having a tubular bead substlantially circu ar in cross-section at its free e e.

igned by me at Berlin, Connecticut this seventeenth day of March, 1932.

GEORGE E. PRENTICE. 

